Psalm 139
For the leader. Of David. A Psalm.
(Trans. From the JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh.)
Oh LORD, You have examined me and know me.
When I sit down or stand up you know it;
You discern my thoughts from afar.
You observe my walking and reclining,
And are familiar with all my ways.
There is not a word on my tongue
But that You, O LORD, know it well.
You hedge me before and behind;
You lay your hand upon me.
It is beyond my knowledge;
It is a mystery; I cannot fathom it.
Where can I escape from Your spirit?
Where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
if I descend to Sheol, You are there too.
If I take wing with the dawn
to come to rest on the western horizon,
even there Your hand will be guiding me,
Your right hand will be holding me fast.
If I say, ‘Surely darkness will conceal me,
night will provide me with cover;’
darkness is not dark for You,
night is as light as day,
darkness and light are the same.
It was You who created my conscience,
You fashioned me in my mother’s womb. …
I praise You,
For I am awesomely, wondrously made;
Your work is wonderful;
I know it very well.
my frame was not concealed from You
when I was shaped in a hidden place,
knit together in the recesses of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed limbs;
they were all recorded in Your book;
in due time they were formed,
to the very last one of them.
How weighty Your thoughts seem to me, O God,
How great their number!
I count them – they exceed the grains of sand;
I end – but am still with You.
O God, if you would only slay the wicked –
You murderers, away from me! –
Who invoke You for intrigue,
Your enemies who swear by you falsely.
O LORD, You know I hate those who hate You,
And loathe your adversaries.
I feel a perfect hatred toward them;
I count them my enemies.
Examine me, O God, and know my mind;
probe me and know my thoughts.
See if I have vexatious ways,
and guide me in ways everlasting.
5 comments:
Thanks, Kate. I liked reading this Psalm on my son's computer in Austin, TX while he and his wife take naps.
This is beautiful and haunting.
Thank you Kate.
I am so behind in blog reading, if you don't see me comment, it does not mean I have not been here.
Peace my sister.
Wonderful isn't it? One of the best!
It's my very favourite of the Psalms -- it set me free to say whatever I needed to God. It seemed to me that if God already knows the words on my tongue before I utter them, I'm only lying to myself if I don't say them.
The weekend, and the early part of the week, have been unusually busy -- will catch up tomorrow. Thanks all for stopping in.
Dear Kate,
That's beautiful. It is just pure goodness. Thank you.
Pagan
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